Angelonia plant named ‘Ansublu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Angelonia  plant named ‘Ansublu’ characterized by its broadly upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; long and thick flowering stems; freely flowering habit; large violet-colored flowers with white-colored centers; and suitable as a cut flower with good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Angelonia hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘ANSUBLU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofAngelonia plant, botanically known as Angelonia hybrida and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Ansublu’.

The new Angelonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Dresden, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new freely-flowering Angelonia plants withattractive flower coloration.

The new Angelonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the summer of 2009 in Dresden, Germany of two unnamedproprietary selections of Angelonia hybrida, not patented. The newAngelonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany during the summerof 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Angelonia plant by terminal cuttings ina controlled greenhouse environment in Dresden, Germany since the summerof 2010 has shown that the unique features of this new Angelonia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Angelonia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Ansublu’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Ansublu’ as a new and distinct Angelonia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright plant habit.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Long and thick flowering stems.    -   4. Freely flowering habit.    -   5. Large violet-colored flowers with white-colored centers.    -   6. Suitable as a cut flower with good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Angelonia differ from plants of the parent selectionsprimarily in plant and flowering habit as plants of the new Angeloniaare more freely branching and freely flowering than plants of the parentselections.

Plants of the new Angelonia can be compared to plants of Angeloniahybrid ‘Anbluim’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,390. Inside-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Angelonia and ‘Anbluim’differ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Angelonia are taller than plants of        ‘Anbluim’.    -   2. Plants of the new Angelonia are more vigorous than plants of        ‘Anbluim’.    -   3. Plants of the new Angelonia have thicker and stronger stems        than plants of ‘Anbluim’.    -   4. Plants of the new Angelonia are more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Anbluim’.    -   5. Plants of the new Angelonia and ‘Anbluim’ differ in flower        color as plants of ‘Anbluim’ have dark violet-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Angelonia plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values citedin the detailed botanical description which accurately describe thecolors of the new Angelonia plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical floweringplant of ‘Ansublu’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photograph and the followingobservations, measurements and values were grown during the summer andautumn in 19-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Dresden,Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Angeloniaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperatures wereat a minimum of 20° C., night temperatures were at a minimum of 16° C.and light levels ranged from 15 kilolux to 100 kilolux. Plants werepinched two times, two and six weeks after planting. Plants were sixmonths old when the description was taken and seven months old when thephotograph was taken. In the following description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Angelonia hybrida ‘Ansublu’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Angelonia hybrida, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unnamed proprietary selection of            Angelonia hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer and winter.—About 20 days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer and            winter.—About four weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial; broadly            upright plant habit; freely branching habit; when pinched,            about six to eight lateral branches develop per plant;            vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 80 cm to 85 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 30 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 75 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm            to 6 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm to 2 cm. Strength:            Moderately strong to strong. Texture: Slightly pubescent.            Color: Close to 144A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, decussate; simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 3 cm to 11 cm.        -   Width.—About 0.5 cm to 2 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate to oblong.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly pubescent;            viscid.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 137C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 137C; venation, close to 145C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single flowers arranged in            upright terminal racemes; flowers face mostly outwardly;            freely flowering habit; full dense inflorescences.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 12 to            13 weeks after planting; in the garden, flowering is            continuous from mid-May until frost in Central Europe.        -   Postproduction longevity.—Flowers last about 20 days on the            plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Height: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.            Shape: Globose. Color: Close to 138A.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 45 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8 cm.        -   Flower size.—About 3.2 cm by 3 cm.        -   Flower depth.—About 1 cm.        -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five, occasionally,            seven, in a single whorl; petals fused at the base into a            tubular throat. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm.            Shape: Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire,            undulate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; velvety. Color: When opening and fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 86B; towards the base, close to            155D; color becoming closer to 86A with development. When            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to 86B; color            becoming closer to 86A with development. Throat: Close to            155D and 86B. Tube: Close to 86B.        -   Sepals.—Quantity per flower: Typically five in a single            whorl. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate.            Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to            138A. Color, lower surface: Close to 137A.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle:            Outward to slightly upright, less than 90° from vertical.            Strength: Moderately strong; flexible. Texture: Slightly            pubescent. Color: Close to 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Typically            four. Filament length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to            85D. Anther shape: Elliptic. Anther length: About 2 mm.            Anther color: Close to 91C. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: Close to 155D. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Tapering. Stigma            color: Close to 155D. Style length: About 4 mm. Style color:            Close to 155D. Ovary color: Close to 177A.        -   Fruits.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm. Color:            Close to 165D.        -   Seeds.—Quantity per flower: About 30 to 50. Length: Less            than 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Color: Light brown.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Angelonia have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Angelonia    plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Angelonia have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate rain, wind and    temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to 30° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Angelonia plant named ‘Ansublu’ asillustrated and described.